Governance

The General Assembly is the most representative and highest decision-making body of the World Student Christian Federation. General Assemblies or General Committees of WSCF have taken place since the federation's foundation meeting in 1895.

WSCF General Assemblies - 1992 in Beijing, 2004 in Chiang Mai, and 2015 in Bogotá

The four-yearly General Assembly involves every national member movement of the federation along with WSCF Executive Committee Officers, Inter-Regional and Regional staff. The General Assembly quorum must include at least half its member movements and the voting delegates should be balanced in terms of student and gender representation. Also in attendance at General Assemblies are stewards from SCMs who work to support the assembly's programme and administration, guests from partner organisations and resource people providing input during the assembly programme.

 

 

WSCF Strategic Plan 2016-2019 (PDF)The General Assembly opens with a review of the life and changing contexts of its member movements at national, regional and inter-regional levels. The General Assembly reviews and assesses:

• The situation of the member movements
• The situation of the regions
• The work of the Executive Committee
• The world wide situation of the Federation

The assembly then sets out the objectives and priorities of the federation's programme and policy for the upcoming four-year period.

1922 WSCF General Assembly in Beijing, China

Each General Assembly is required to elect WSCF's global officers and Executive Committee and to appoint global staff. Changes to the constitution of WSCF must be agreed by its General Assembly and new affiliated memberships may only be approved by vote of the General Assembly.

Between General Assemblies, the WSCF officers, staff and Executive Committee implement the directives and policies agreed on by the whole assembly.

Participants at the 33rd WSCF General Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand, August 2004

The WSCF General Assembly is also an opportunity for inter-regional dialogue and awareness-raising. Each General Assembly has a theme that focuses the forum's Bible Studies, theological and political analyisis, local exposure and dialogue experiences. Common worship also forms a vital part of the life of the General Assembly. The assembly is a great opportunity for cultural exchange through sharing of performing arts and liturgical traditions, as well as through conversation, working together and general interaction amongst the assembly's participants.The General Assembly often speaks out on contemporary issues as the collective voice of the federation. WSCF General Assemblies can issue resolutions on urgent political situations that affect its members in different parts of the world.

For more detailed information on the legal structures and working regulations of the General Assembly, please check the WSCF Constitution and Bye-Laws.

Participants at the 35th WSCF General Assembly in Bogotá, Colombia, February 27 to March 5, 2015